At the Sanctuary of Jocay (Manta), the sick person first made the sacrifice, then presented the offering, usually small emeralds, and prayed before the goddess. The priest took the emerald with a very clean white cloth and touched the painful part with it.
«The offerings to the goddess were small emeralds, because they were the best gift for her; not in vain was she the grandmother of all, because that was what the etymology of Umiña meant in the Pache language, which was the one spoken in those times in Jocay.
Although it is difficult to know the place where the sanctuary of UMIÑA was built, an old tradition says that it was on the site where the housing blocks of the Housing Bank are today (on the old cemetery). Another story says that "In the old Manta there is a mound that seems to have been a mound on which a shrine was built (is this perhaps referring to the mound that was in the center of the "Eloy Alfaro" park and that at the beginning of this century served as the Telegraph office?).
The surprising cures that were carried out in the temple of Umiña, during its special festivities, caused large quantities of emeralds to be collected in Jocay, since there was a belief that the offering was the most pleasing to the goddess, because she was a mother and the smaller ones were her daughters.
The legend of Umiña is as follows:
Currently, in Manta a good number of institutions bear her name, for example: Schools, Neighborhoods, Cooperatives, Hotels, etc. The Goddess Umiña is the living identity of the wonderful town of Jocay.
«The offerings to the goddess were small emeralds, because they were the best gift for her; not in vain was she the grandmother of all, because that was what the etymology of Umiña meant in the Pache language, which was the one spoken in those times in Jocay.
Although it is difficult to know the place where the sanctuary of UMIÑA was built, an old tradition says that it was on the site where the housing blocks of the Housing Bank are today (on the old cemetery). Another story says that "In the old Manta there is a mound that seems to have been a mound on which a shrine was built (is this perhaps referring to the mound that was in the center of the "Eloy Alfaro" park and that at the beginning of this century served as the Telegraph office?).
The surprising cures that were carried out in the temple of Umiña, during its special festivities, caused large quantities of emeralds to be collected in Jocay, since there was a belief that the offering was the most pleasing to the goddess, because she was a mother and the smaller ones were her daughters.
The legend of Umiña is as follows:
In an aboriginal village there was a princess who belonged to the region, daughter of the chief TOHALLI. Her beauty was admired by all the aborigines who had made an altar for her worship. It is said that the princess was the object of a persecution that filled her with misfortunes, which later led to her death. She was buried next to the graves of her parents.
Legend has it that the precious stone (Emeralds) was extracted from her heart and was worshipped by many peoples of the Manteña Confederation and American Peoples that existed at that time. Her fame reached many parts of the Continent, people came from Peru, Mexico and Central America bringing sick people and gifts consisting of small pearls and gold dust.
Legend has it that the precious stone (Emeralds) was extracted from her heart and was worshipped by many peoples of the Manteña Confederation and American Peoples that existed at that time. Her fame reached many parts of the Continent, people came from Peru, Mexico and Central America bringing sick people and gifts consisting of small pearls and gold dust.
Currently, in Manta a good number of institutions bear her name, for example: Schools, Neighborhoods, Cooperatives, Hotels, etc. The Goddess Umiña is the living identity of the wonderful town of Jocay.
Essay on the Goddess Umiña according to the author from Mantense, Mr. John Milton Palma.
ES_ES 
EN